Workers face threat from oppn: Shorten

Tony Abbott's pledge to release details of the coalition's workplace relations policy within a few weeks, despite a promise not to alter the Fair Work Act, means the rights of Australian workers are again on the line, Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten says.

The federal opposition leader has sought to assure voters that his party's policies will be released before polling day, promising to release their workplace relations policy in weeks rather than months.

"Obviously we are not going to go to polling day with the voters in doubt as to exactly what will happen under a coalition government," he told Sky News.

Labor MPs have called on the opposition to reveal its plans for industrial relations laws, accusing it of wanting to revive elements of the Howard-era's Work Choices.

Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten said the rights and conditions of Australian workers were on the line, just a month after the coalition pledged not to make any changes to the Fair Work Act.

He said the "party of Work Choices" needed to come clean about whether it would rip away unfair dismissal protections, penalty rates and long service leave, among other workplace rights.

"Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party cannot be trusted on workplace relations," he said in a statement on Monday.